Ike Taylor takes a $4.25 million pay cut

Posted by Mike Florio on March 10, 2014, 11:41 PM EST

AP

Last week, the Steelers signed safety Troy Polamalu and tight end Heath Miller to contract extensions that gave the players no extra money. This week, the Steelers signed cornerback Ike Taylor to a new contract that reduces sharply his $7 million base salary for 2014.

Because Taylor is in the final year of his contract, the Steelers have created $4.75 million in additional cap space. Per Bouchette, the Steelers currently stand at $7 million under the cap.

It gives the Steelers some room to maneuver in free agency. Come June, when linebacker LaMarr Woodley exits the books, the Steelers will pick up another $8 million in cap space, more than enough to sign the team’s incoming class of draft picks.

So why did Taylor agree to the pay cut? Presumably, $2.75 million was as much or more than anyone else would have paid him, if he’d landed on the open market.

Thats an awesome thing to do. Too many players these days are just in it for the money..back many years ago players played the game for the love not the money. As the years go on the more i notice in a NFL football game the sidelines of the team that is about to lose..i just see players with no regard to losing anymore..they are laughing, joking around on the sidelines when they are about to lose a game. Sad! Where is the passion? Yeah some still have it but most could give a damn if they win or lose these says..what a pity. Money is the root of all evil!! It ruins everything that was good in human nature.

Players take pay cuts to play for the Steelers all the time, if thats what it takes to stay. Last year James Harrison learned that the free market can be a tough place for an older player and set a good example of what not to do. I’m hoping Ike ends up our nickel/slot cover guy. He’s big enough and a good enough tackler he can cover tight ends too. That’s just about the right role for him at this stage of his career and I think it’s a role he can excel at.

Will Allen is solid. Very underrated safety. Glad to hear PGH. re-signed him.

ialwayswantedtobeabanker says:Mar 11, 2014 12:08 AM

“So why did Taylor agree to the pay cut? Presumably, $2.75 million was as much or more than anyone else would have paid him, if he’d landed on the open market.”

There may be a lot of truth to that, but another strong contributing factor might be that he wants to be identified as a womb-to-tomb Pittsburgh Steeler, a “lifer” as Ike callz it. Those guys in that locker room are his brothers and even DC LeBeau has a unique bond with his players that is very rare.

James Harrison left the Steelers, and it seemed he regretted it almost immediately afterward. It’s very possible that Ike didn’t view this as solely a dollars and cents matter — though money is always a big factor; just not the only factor for many athletes.

Factor in Woodley’s release they’ll be $15 million UNDER the cap. Figure they’ll also extent Roethlisberger, Pouncey and Heyward and suddenly the Steelers will find themselves more than $20+ million under the salary cap. Take notes kids!

joshnyc1 says:Mar 11, 2014 12:14 AM

I think Florio might be wrong about one thing. Given what CB’s have been getting paid so far this free agency, I think Taylor would have done nicely for himself on the market. It’s a first class move to take a cut to remain with the Steelers. A refreshing take on things, good for him.

He took a step back last season, but he still can play. This is good move for the team because they can still draft a corner and not throw him into the fire right away. Still wondering what they’ll do with Keisel and Clark.

orivar says:Mar 11, 2014 12:42 AM

“back many years ago players played the game for the love not the money.”

Back many years ago the players didn’t realize the long term effects the game would have on them too to where many of them are now old, hurt, and don’t have much to say for it besides legacy.

The Rooney family sincerely cares about Ike Taylor beyond playing football, and he feels the same way. They treat him as a son, not just an employee.

He will always have a job with the Steelers organization.

Quality of life is what matters most. People seem to forget that.

fantom21 says:Mar 11, 2014 1:56 AM

This reminds me of Deangelo Halls’ situation . Hall went from having a $7.5 million per year contract to a one year $2 million contract last year due to our cap penalties. He played lights out and earned another payday this offseason. Hats off to Ike, hopefully he can get one last payday as well.

Last 2 years Ike is 50/50 hero or goat on the field ..honestly he is just not very good anymore. I would have dumped him and gambled on a draft pick. Watch..he will get torched over and over next season. Bad move Steelers.

Any player who isn’t in it for the money is a dumb fool. What? Are they supposed to sacrifice their bodies and possibly shorten their lives for you? For the game? Fans won’t give a rat’s butt about these guys 25 years from now. Neither will the game.

It’s no surprise to Steeler fans that Ike took a pay cut to stay on the team. When he was a free agent a few years back, he claimed he wouldn’t take a “hometown discount” to remain with the Steelers in an attempt to force the Rooneys’ hands. Well, Ike has been and always will be a Rooney player, so he did take the discount and now takes a pay cut to stay with the team he loves and that loves him in return.

Ike gets a lot of flak in the fan base for getting burned on occasion, but those folks don’t realize that Ike gets the best each team has to offer and very little safety help over the top. For those who study the game, we know that this is the make/break style of play that frees up the Clark and Troy to do what they do…

I’m glad money didn’t get in the way on this because, for better or worse, Ike remains the best corner on the Steeler’s roster IMO. Getting a true Number 1 corner to play along side Ike remains a draft day priority for the Steelers.

moses74 says:
Mar 10, 2014 11:52 PM
Thats an awesome thing to do. Too many players these days are just in it for the money..back many years ago players played the game for the love not the money. As the years go on the more i notice in a NFL football game the sidelines of the team that is about to lose..i just see players with no regard to losing anymore..they are laughing, joking around on the sidelines when they are about to lose a game. Sad! Where is the passion? Yeah some still have it but most could give a damn if they win or lose these says..what a pity. Money is the root of all evil!! It ruins everything that was good in human nature

_———–

Seriously? The NFL is the most intense cut throat sport in the US and you are seriously questioning the players’ passion and work ethic? And I don’t know why people like you keep romanticizing past players. They too wanted as much money as possible and went in strike to get it. When the USFL came about many jumped ship for money. For the nth time this is a business and Ike Taylor made a business decision. You think he would have taken a $4 million pay cut if he thought some other team out there would pay him more? You think he did this because of some love of the game and team? How naive are you? Please. Also what ever happened to a contract is a contract? Why are you applauding this team for forcing a man to reduce his salary by nearly 2/3? Would you be doing the same if a player had clearly outplayed his salary and held out for an increase?

Like Taylor made a business decision to take that pay cut because he or his agent did their homework and figured they wouldn’t get a much better deal. Plain and simple so please stop romanticizing it.

Ike will make a great play, do his little “You can see me” hand gesture then turn around and make 5 bone headed plays. If he wasn’t a favorite of Dan Rooney he would have been released outright. At least now he is being paid like the middle of the road DB he really is.

Notice how teammates sacrifice to stay with the Steelers? Where else do you see that. Right now, Alex Mack is hoping someone will offer an unmatchable contract so he can get out of Cleveland.

troy43mvp says:Mar 11, 2014 8:13 AM

The three words “Salary Cap Hell” are being used less and less by trolls. Steelers handling their business…..it’s what they do!!

ialwayswantedtobeabanker says:Mar 11, 2014 8:21 AM

“So why did Taylor agree to the pay cut? Presumably, $2.75 million was as much or more than anyone else would have paid him, if he’d landed on the open market.”

There may be a lot of truth to that, but another strong contributing factor might be that he wants to be identified as a womb-to-tomb Pittsburgh Steeler, a “lifer” as Ike callz it. Those guys in that locker room are his brothers and even DC LeBeau has a unique bond with his players that is very rare.

James Harrison left the Steelers, and it seemed he regretted it almost immediately afterward. It’s very possible that Ike didn’t view this as solely a dollars and cents matter — though money is always a big factor; just not the only factor for many athletes.

I have seen a lot of people say that Ike could be moved to free safety to replace Ryan Clark. One problem with that is the same problem that has plagued Ike for years, the one thing that has always kept him from making the pro bowl: Dude has got hands of stone. I mean, I love the dude, but he truly couldn’t catch a cold if his life depended on it. You might get away with that at ss, but not the free. Plus he isn’t as fast as he used to be either, another important skill for fs. He can still cover, just not the other teams #1 wr anymore.

holeinone09 says:Mar 11, 2014 9:06 AM

This proves a couple things to me. First, Ike wanted to stay with the Steelers. Not many players these days would take that big of paycut to stay with their team. That shows how much players respect and enjoy playing with the Steelers.

Second, it reflects his current value which the Steelers do not overpay, but they apparently believe he can still contribute. I would also think his agent tested the value waters a bit with other teams, and possibly they could have gotten more money but likely not a lot more to cause his to leave a place he is comfortable playing. Ike has a lot of skills but was very inconsistent. Last year particularly, as some have said, Ike made a great play, then got badly burned for a long pass. Yes, he normally covered the other team’s best WR, but when you do that you have to perform.

So again, the Steelers cut cap money and retain talent at a fair price. Now, dealing with Woodley is next.

And yes, Harrison made the playoffs last year, but while hardly playing or making an impact on the Bungals. He made a mistake leaving the Steelers, recall he wanted to come back for less money after he turned down their offer.

Wow. The few people on here claiming Ike is one of the best at his position must have suffered brain damage along with him in that last concussion. He had some of the worst stats in the league last season. His play has been going downhill for the last 3 seasons. I’m actually shocked the Steelers didn’t just drop him like they just did to Woodley. I’m a lifelong Pittsburgh fan but I’m not gonna pretend some of these guys need to start looking for a different career.

So, basically what the Stillerz have done the last few weeks of cap manipulating is to insure they can keep as many players that haven’t been to the playoffs in 2 seasons as possible. Pretty much insuring it’ll be 3 consec seasons.

dagrizzman says:Mar 11, 2014 10:50 AM

Ike Taylor couldn’t cover a pot of chili ! He’s one of the most over rated D backs in football.He had 2 good years,and now should be cut,not re structured.The Steelers are desperate so they have no choice to keep him one more year so they can try and fill the other cracks in their armor.Colbert did to the Steelers the past 7 years what Obama did to America !

SmashMouthFootball says:Mar 11, 2014 11:50 AM

Those cheers you hear are from AJ Green, Torrey Smith, and Josh Gordon who just realized they are each guaranteed two monster games next season.

Ike Taylor is still the best corner on the roster until we see what Cortez Allen can do on a consistent basis. I always laugh at people who say he Ike can’t cover. Those are the people who have never been on a football field. He may have hands of stone but the guy can still cover. I am not saying he can’t be beat (in todays league) but any good cb in the league can be beat against a great qb. Ike had an off year last year. He can certainly bounce back to be productive for one more season until the steelers find his replacement. This is a very smart business and team move. Glad to see Ikes sticking around to retire a steeler.

way to go Ike, nothing better than spending your entire career with the same team, not many players can say that these days. Now if the Steeler’s are smart they’ll move him to Safety and get a few more years out of him. Oh and yea the Steeler’s suddenly go from being in cap hell to being almost 15 million under.!

stoogy says:Mar 11, 2014 1:13 PM

Glad to see the steelers are going to have another non winning season! Throw the ball deap toward Ike 5 or more times a game chances are you will get a PI call on 70 percent of those throws.

Funny how the pundits ‘with insider information’ predicted cap space disaster and Big Ben dissatisfaction just a few weeks age. They. Ought want to check their sources a little more closely; it seems the fans have better sources without that ‘inside’ track.
Go Steelers !

Deb says:Mar 11, 2014 3:19 PM

I love Ike, and Ike loves the Rooneys. Knew this would be worked out one way or another. This is what happens when a player wants to stay with the family.

All of these Steelers fans on here talking about the loyalty between Taylor and the Rooneys. What happens when Ike gets hurt, and his career is ended, will the Rooneys be loyal enough to help him with any medical bills? I don’t think so!!!